Why are you so fraidy?
This is important because it seems as though teachers are never going to return to the classroom because they are afraid. When it suited their narrative they claimed science was their leader but now science has abandoned them and they're simply scared witless. It isn't that schools drive courage out of teachers but that it attracts the most "risk averse" among us. As the author points out, teaching offers womb-like security. Fixed schedule. Consistent and predictable workload. Decent pay that never drops. Better benefits than most. Unmatched job security. Folks looking for an adrenaline rush become policemen or firemen. Except nowadays no one wants to be a policeman.
Though there was mention of unions and the impact they may have it is unlikely that unions are any more responsible for teachers' fear than the schools where they work. They bring it with them, but it may be that fear that not only attracts them to teaching but to unionization. Teachers are quick to identify problems and equally quick to identify someone else to deal with them. Their risk aversion extends to a fear of failure so great they would rather cower in a corner than take action to solve a problem.
And it is this all consuming fear that will keep teachers out of the classroom. Vaccine availability? Done and not enough. Mandatory vaccination? Still not enough. Science showing classrooms as low risk? Not to be believed. Gut and rebuild schools with new HVAC systems? Unknown, but an interesting thought exercise. Suppose we, as a society, are to make this enormous investment should we not ask: is this the best use of the money? Probably not. The pandemic has been eye-opening for parents and "virtualization" resulted in new ways for their children to learn. Rather than invest in restoration of a system that long ago abandoned teaching and learning perhaps money is better used to educate our children using the "modalities" that are just beginning to be explored due to the pandemic. Maybe the teachers are right and there are permanent changes. Maybe parents and taxpayers should show their courage and make certain that changes are made that benefit children's education because fear has not taken us to a good place.
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